The "Union Cooperative" department stated that it intends to open five new outlets in Dubai before the end of this year, pointing out that the outlets will increase the proportions of the strategic inventory of their commodities in varying proportions, and will include new patterns of shopping.
She explained, for "Emirates Today", that the plans for the new branches will take place in the regions: Al Warqa, Al Barsha South, Al Bida, and Hessa Street, in addition to opening a project in the folding area with a new concept of the "outlet" system to sell goods at low prices by wholesale standards for consumers from the branch warehouse.
In detail, Khalid Hamid bin Dhiban Al Falasi, CEO of the Union Coop, said that the (Cooperative) Department intends to open five new outlets in different regions in Dubai, before the end of this year, noting that «(the cooperative) is currently working on implementation plans For the five new projects, under the current circumstances, with the aim of expediting their completion before the end of the year ».
He added that «the implementation of new projects plans will raise the proportions of the strategic stock of food and consumer goods for the cooperative in varying proportions, as it will keep pace with the growth of consumer demand in the emirate, and extend from its branch network more extensively in additional areas in Dubai», pointing out that «the areas that will be covered by the port plans New include: Al Warqa, Al Barsha South, Al Bida'a, Hessa Street.
Al-Falasi pointed out that «the fifth project will include an outlet with a new concept of shopping in the folding area, and operates with the system (outlet), and allows consumers to purchase products from the warehouse at reduced prices by wholesale standards, but without providing additional auxiliary services similar to the traditional branches’ services, in terms of supporting branch staff to carry And packing products, as the consumer will be responsible for that, or use services paid by porters.
He pointed out that «the project will provide a new and more diversified system, providing consumers with different commodities at reduced prices».
He added that «(the cooperative) has completed, during the recent period, a series of discussions with officials of Dubai Municipality, on the selection of new sites to establish additional future projects for the cooperative, and includes a proposal to choose 17 new sites, and the final results will be announced later on the projects of those sites.
Al Falasi said that «one of the projects that are being worked on according to accelerated steps, which is the Al Warqa area project, which takes place in the name of (Al Warqa City Mall), and the completion rates in it, finally, reached about 92%, while its cost is about 215 million dirhams», noting that With the completion of the project, it is expected that it will contribute to raising the strategic commodity stock for the cooperative by 20%.
He pointed out that «Al Warqa’ City Mall »consists of two floors, a basement, a ground floor, a first floor and an office floor, with a total building area of 673.2 thousand square feet, with car parks allocated to a number of 671 parking spaces, including 224 on the second basement floor, and 224 parking on the basement floor First, 223 parking spaces on the ground floor.
He continued: «The mall contains 44 commercial stores with an area of 56.6 thousand square feet, distributed on the ground floor and the first with 26 stores on the ground floor, and the number of 18 stores on the first floor, while the second floor of the building was allocated to the offices of the Union Cooperative Administration on an area of up to 55 thousand square feet, pointing out that the project, which will be in the third Al Warqa area, is located with a direct view on Tripoli Street, to meet the consumer demand of a large number of consumers in those areas. ” He added that «the total number of dealers with loyalty cards and discounts for the cooperative under the name (Tamayaz) exceeded 800 thousand dealers, representing the largest percentage of the total dealers in the branches of the cooperative and rates exceeding 89%».
He pointed out that «(the cooperative) has multiple plans to offer smart services with its branches during the next year, enabling consumers to use the cooperative application platform for more diversified services, such as making comparisons between monthly and weekly spending operations for consumers, which helps them to use smart shopping methods.
The new outlets include: Al Warqa, Al Barsha South, Al Bada'a, Hessa Street, and Al Tayy.